Music Faculty-Led Program in Italy

Flight

Depart from the USA on an overnight flight to Milan.

Overnight

In flight.

Morning

Arrive in Milan and make your own way to the accommodation. Meet your TLAC group leader for check in. Transit passes will be distributed.

Remainder of the day

Free day to rest after arrival.

Overnight

Milan.

Morning

Guided walking tour of Milan’s historic centre, introducing students to the city’s architectural, artistic, and cultural heritage. Highlights may include the Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Piazza Mercanti, and the surrounding streets that reveal Milan’s blend of medieval history, elegance, and modern urban life.

Noon

Lunch break.

Afternoon

Guided tour of Teatro della Scala and the Museo Teatrale della Scala. Accompanied by an expert guide, students will explore the theatre’s corridors and historic boxes while learning the secrets of this more than 240-year-old venue. The museum extends the theatre experience beyond the stage, serving as both an exhibition space and a centre for culture and education.

Evening

Welcome dinner at Trattoria Sabbioneda Da Romolo

Overnight

Milan.

Morning

Visit the Milan Conservatory, also known as the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi. As Italy’s largest institute of musical education, it trains instrumentalists, singers, and composers to the highest standards while serving as an important centre for musical production in Milan and across Italy.

Noon

Lunch break.

Afternoon

Guided tour of Duomo di Milano where students can discover not only the Cathedral but also the Terraces and the Museum.

Overnight

Milan.

Morning

Visit Sony Music Entertainment Italy in Milan, part of one of the world’s leading music companies. Students will gain insight into the contemporary recording industry, artist development, music marketing, and the role of major labels in promoting both Italian and international repertoire.

Noon

Lunch break.

Afternoon

Free time.

Overnight

Milan.

Morning

Check out from the accommodation.

Depart by train from Milan to Bologna.

Noon

Lunch break.

Afternoon

Check in at the new accommodation.

Guided walking tour of Bologna’s historic centre, introducing students to the city’s medieval character, university heritage, and lively public spaces. Highlights may include Piazza Maggiore, the iconic Two Towers, the porticoes, and the streets that showcase Bologna’s rich cultural and architectural identity.

Overnight

Bologna.

Morning

Visit to the University of Bologna Department of Arts, Music and Performance.

Noon

Lunch break.

Afternoon

Visit to the International Museum and Library of Music, located in Bologna’s historic Palazzo Sanguinetti. Students will explore a rich collection of printed music, manuscripts, opera librettos, autographs, and letters connected to Father Martini and prominent musicians of his time. The visit also includes a reconstruction of the workshop of renowned Bolognese luthier Otello Bignami.

Overnight

Bologna.

Morning

Depart by train from Bologna to Venice.

Guided tour of Teatro La Fenice. Guided tour with an expert guide providing information about the history of the Theater and its reconstruction. Teatro La Fenice is a historic opera house. It is one of "the most famous and renowned landmarks in the history of Italian theatre". Its name reflects its role in permitting an opera company to "rise from the ashes" despite losing the use of three theatres to fire.

Remainder of the day

Free time.

Late afternoon / evening

Depart by train from Venice to Bologna

Overnight

Bologna.

Morning

Depart by private coach from Bologna to Cremona.

Visit to the Violin’s Museum. Cremona has been for centuries the capital of violin-making. At the Violin’s Museum students can discover the past and present of this excellent handicraft production, included in the Intangible UNESCO Heritage, through the direct contact with the great Masters and their masterpieces.

Noon

Lunch break.

Afternoon

Visit to the workshops of the Consorzio Liutai “Antonio Stradivari,” where students will observe master violin makers demonstrating key stages in the handcrafted creation of string instruments.

Remainder of the afternoon

Free time in Cremona.

Late afternoon / evening

Depart by private coach from Cremona to Bologna.

Overnight

Bologna.

Morning

Check out previous accommodation.

Depart by train from Bologna to Rome.

Noon

Lunch break.

Afternoon

Check into the new accommodation.

Walking tour of the city to give students an introduction to Rome’s history and culture in the historic centre.

Overnight

Rome.

Morning

Guided visit to the Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone where students will explore the history, architecture and urban planning of what Renzo Piano called a “culture factory”. Designed by Renzo Piano and managed by the Fondazione Musica per Roma, the Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone was created to provide a permanent home for the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. Over the years, it has become one of Europe's largest cultural and entertainment centers, offering a program spanning all genres of music, dance, theater, and even art.

Noon

Lunch break.

Afternoon

Free time.

Overnight

Rome.

Morning

Guided tour of Vatican Museums. The Vatican Museums house one of the most extensive and breathtaking art collections in existence, spanning centuries of human history and creative genius. Students are guided through a spectacular labyrinth of papal palaces, encountering a dense concentration of classical sculptures, intricate tapestries, and masterworks from the Italian Renaissance. This immersive tour offers deep context into how these historic halls served as the epicenters of global art, politics, and religious culture, forever shaping the trajectory of Western civilization.

Noon

Lunch break.

Afternoon

Guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica. Students here will discover extraordinary spaces and monuments dedicated to saints and popes. Saint Peter's Basilica is the largest church in the world. It is the heart of Christianity and a universal symbol of spirituality.

Overnight

Rome.

Full day visit

Full day visit to the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine. The Colosseum is an elliptical amphitheater in the centre of the city of Rome, just east of the Roman Forum. It is the largest ancient amphitheater ever built and is the largest standing amphitheater in the world. The Roman Forum, also known by its Latin name Forum Romanum, is a rectangular forum (plaza) surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the centre of the city of Rome. The Palatine Hill, which is the centermost of the seven hills of Rome, is one of the most ancient parts of the city; it has been called "the first nucleus of the Roman Empire". The site is now mainly a large open-air museum, and the Palatine Museum houses many finds from the excavations here and from other ancient Italian sites.

Evening

Farewell dinner at Trattoria Vecchia Roma.

Overnight

Rome.

Students depart individually from Rome. Must checkout of accommodations by 10am.